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WhatsApp Leak Details Roy Keane's Explosive Confrontation With Players

WhatsApp Leak Details Roy Keane's Explosive Confrontation With Players

Martin O'Neil has since responded to such claims.

Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar

Did Roy Keane really call Harry Arter a 'f***ing p****' before squaring up with Jon Walters?!

Well, that's exactly what's being alleged through a WhatsApp leak courtesy of Stephen Ward.

The bust-ups between Keane and Arter & Walters happened earlier in the year when Republic of Ireland played France then U.S.A in international friendlies.

However, Ward was not in the squad. Despite that, audio has surfaced online of Ward apparently describing the incident.

Ireland gaffer O'Neil has since refuted such claim during his pre-match press conference.

"First of all, Stephen wasn't there, he's just picking up on things," he said.

"I think there are differences over what was said (but there was) a confrontation with Jon and a confrontation with Harry. Jon is fine. Harry perhaps not so fine.

"(Roy) was looking for exacting standards and that's exactly what I want, whatever way they are mentioned to people.

"Sometimes I think the game has changed. But hopefully it hasn't changed that much that there are some things you can still say to a player, maybe using some industrial, heavy-duty language at the end of it all, if you think they can actually take it and go out and prove the person wrong."

Image: PA
Image: PA

According to Ward, Keane challenged players who sat out of a training session. That's where Walters and Keane apparently went head-to-head, literally.

Further claims suggest Walters sent Keane a text message, inviting the Ireland coach to his hotel room which was declined.

Again, per Ward, Keane then verbally assaulted Arter in the treatment room because of his absence in training. He said: "You're a f****** p****, you're a c*** you've been all your life."

Wow.

O'Neil on the Burnley defender: "Do I have sympathy or empathy for a 33-year-old who has known about social media for a lengthy time and says he's just telling it to a crowd of mates? Today... probably not. Tomorrow... probably not also.

"He has been betrayed by some of his friends, who he has known for a long, long time. That will be a disappointment for him.

"But I think that Stephen has apologised to Roy."

Amidst this storm, Ireland play Poland tonight.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Ireland, Football News, Football, Roy Keane